Coral Spawning Efforts Take Root
On our most recent trip to Guanaja, our team observed the spawning of approximately ten colonies of Grooved Brain Coral (Diploria labyrinthi
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SEXUAL CORAL
RESTORATION
Improving the Health of Roatan's Marine Ecosystems
In response to the devastating impact of stony coral tissue loss disease, which has become endemic on Roatan over the past four years, Roatan Marine Park (RMP) stepped up its coral restoration efforts by embracing assisted sexual reproduction. This marks a new chapter in RMP’s ongoing mission to restore the island’s precious coral reefs.
In 2021, RMP embarked on a five-year collaboration with SECORE International, a global leader in coral restoration through assisted reproduction. Over the past three years, we have worked alongside SECORE to establish Roatan’s first-ever predictive coral spawning calendar. This calendar has been validated for 2022, 2023, and 2024, with two more years of data collection to refine and complete it.
Coral spawning in Roatan occurs from May through September, with each species having its own specific spawning window. To date, RMP has successfully validated the spawning of seven coral species: Diploria labyrinthiformis, Dendrogyra cylindrus, Montastraea cavernosa, Pseudodiploria strigosa, Colpophyllia natans, Orbicella annularis, and Orbicella faveolata. Ongoing research focuses on further validation for Acropora palmata and Acropora cervicornis.
Our team has completed two successful assisted fertilizations, one for Orbicella annularis and another for Diploria labyrinthiformis, achieving an impressive 95% fertilization success for Diploria labyrinthiformis. As a result, 1,188 recruits of this species have been outplanted onto substrates, contributing to the regeneration of Roatan’s coral reefs.
4
Months monitored
4
Sites
Monitored
39
Volunteers
Involved
72
Colonies Monitored
Our Commitment to Coral Conservation
Looking ahead, RMP’s commitment to coral restoration is set to expand with the construction of Honduras' first coral larval rearing facility. This milestone is made possible through funding from the Coral Research & Development Accelerator Platform (CORDAP), in partnership with the California Academy of Sciences. This facility will amplify our coral restoration efforts by enabling ex-situ reproduction of coral larvae in a controlled environment, increasing survival rates and facilitating groundbreaking research.
Get Involved:
Volunteer Opportunities
Coral spawning season is an intensive period, and RMP relies on the support of volunteers to meet our coral restoration goals. Volunteers assist with various tasks such as preparing seeding units, monitoring coral spawning, outplanting coral recruits, and tracking the progress of outplanted corals. Your help is crucial in ensuring the success of these restoration efforts.
To participate in these activities, certain skills are required. For more information, please contact us at:
Want to support
our Efforts?
With your support, we will be able to continue and expand the Roatan Marine Park Coral Restoration Program. Your donation will help fund the logistic needs for sites monitoring, spawning seasons efforts and help restore Roatan’s precious reef system.
On behalf of the RMP Team, thank you for your donation!
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